Working As An English Tutor In Korea
The tutoring industry is highly lucrative in Korea. You can supplement your income with an extra 1-2 million KRW each month, if you have the right visa, connections and charisma. These gigs usually pay more and the hours are flexible.
What To Teach
Tutoring subjects range from conversation classes, Business English classes, test preparation classes, writing classes, interview preparation etc.
Class sizes and age groups
Class sizes can be one on one classes to a small group of 3-4 students. Age groups vary as well. You may end up teaching conversation to middle schoolers or interview preparation to an adult. It all depends on what’s needed and what you can offer.
Hourly rates
Lesson fees vary depending on what you are teaching, the age group and the class size. Tutoring rates can start from 25,000 won an hour to even 80,000 won an hour or more. As far as I know, the starting rate for native teachers these days is between 50,000 to 60,000 won an hour. Weekends rates are much higher. Rates may also vary, depending on the size of the city you are working at.
Who can teach privately in Korea
People who can teach privately in Korea are those with F2-1 or F5 visas. Although with the new changes in the immigration policies other visa holders such as D-2, may be eligible to teach private lessons. I recommend calling you nearest immigration office to get more information.
Where to find private teaching jobs
You can find these jobs online(Craigslist/ ESL forums). Sometimes these jobs are also listed in newspapers. I recommend social networking: Make Korean friends. Join a local club or church. Put yourself out there. Make sure people know about you. This will ensure that when they’re looking for private tutoring lessons they will come to you. It is also very common for Koreans to approach westerners in the grocery store, at the local bank, etc. and ask them for private English lessons usually for their children.
Kinds of private teaching lessons
One on one classes: As the name suggests this kind of a class is where you teach an individual student. The classes can be 1 or 2 hours long, three or four times a week. The age group varies and so does the teaching material depending on the student’s needs. The classes can go for months or years depending on the class requirements and financial stability.
Specialized Intensive English Classes: Some students need English lessons for a day or a few weeks to practice for a specific test, an interview or presentation/debate practice etc. These kinds of lessons are usually short term since the students require English help for a short time. These classes are usually 2-4 hours a day. Once the Interview or presentation or test is over, the class is discontinued.
Business English Classes: A lot of companies want English classes for their employees. These classes are usually in the early morning or at lunchtime, or after work. These classes usually have between 3-8 students, although at times there can be as many as 14/15 students. You may also have a one on one class with someone in a management position, an executive or CEO. These classes are highly specialized and include email writing, telephone English, presentation etc. along with business conversation classes.
English Camps: Every winter and summer vacation there are a lot of English camps for kids. These camps are always looking for part time English teachers. Although remember that these are immersion style lessons so you are required to spend most of your time with the kids. Lessons are more laid back and fun. These camps typically last for a few weeks to a whole month.
Other Random Jobs: You may also end up with random jobs like helping companies interview new employees, teach English Bible study group in your Church, editing, writing, proof reading etc. These jobs are temporary but can be fun and provide a nice break from the teaching style lessons.
These are but a few tutoring jobs available in Korea. Trust me, there are a gazillion tutoring jobs all around Korea. You just need the right connections, the right skills and the right charisma to grab them. Don’t be scared to put yourself out there and you may be surprised by the number of opportunities that fall in your lap.